


Follow the Plan

by Current521



Category: Black Friday - Team StarKid
Genre: Canon Compliant, Cheating, F/M, Linda backstory, Long, mostly - Freeform, some mentions of murder i guess
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-13
Updated: 2020-03-20
Packaged: 2021-03-01 04:34:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 7,242
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23129374
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Current521/pseuds/Current521
Summary: Linda has a perfect plan for her life. She knows exactly what she wants, and Gerald is the perfect choice. She just has to follow the plan
Relationships: Gerald Monroe/Linda Monroe
Comments: 96
Kudos: 39





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Linda is super interesting to me, so this happened. I'm somewhere-thats-ethan-green on tumblr, come join the Starkid Writes discord

Linda Hidgens is sixteen and goes to Sycamore High, and that’s just fine. Sure, it’s the worst school in town, but there are only two, so it’s not like it’s much of a competition. And because it happens to be near Pinebrook, a lot of the rich kids go there, and that suits Linda’s plans very well.

She tells her plan to her friend Catherine one evening when they’re having a sleepover. “I’m going to marry rich,” she says. “Marry some rich dude, and then I’m gonna have four children with him, and then I’m moving to the Caribbean with my kids and living off of the inheritance.”   
“What inheritance?” Catherine asks. “Your parents are broke.”   
“Oh, my inheritance from my husband, of course.” Linda smiles. “What, you don’t think I’ll bring him with me? No no, once the fourth child is born he’ll have an accident, and I’ll be far too distraught to live in this town anymore, so I will take my children and move to the Caribbean with our inheritance.”   
Catherine laughs. “You’ve always been so dramatic, Linda.”

“Well, I don’t see you making life plans, little miss  _ my daily allowance is fifty bucks _ ,” Linda replies, somewhat annoyed. “Some of us have to know what we’re doing.”   
“Yeah well, you need a contingency plan.” Catherine shrugs. “You’re not even planning on going to college, that’s how sure you are of this plan.”   
“Well of course.” Linda smiles. “Come now, Catherine, don’t tell me you don’t know what you’re gonna do with your life. Tell me.”   
“I’m gonna go to Harvard and specialise in entertainment law, and then I’m gonna move to Los Angeles,” Catherine replies immediately. “And then I’m gonna marry Chad Michael Murray.”   
“Sure you are.” Linda rolls her eyes at her. “At least I’m just saying a rich man, I don’t care who he is, as long as he has money.”   
“You’re so vulgar, Linda, honestly.” It’s Catherine’s turn to roll her eyes. “At least I know what I want, you just want money.”   
“You just want sex,” Linda shoots back. “Honest, Catherine, I pity you. You’re never going to fulfill a dream like that.”   
“And you are?”   
“Yes, of course I am.” Linda almost sits up, then decides that she can’t be bothered. “It’s fairly easy. Do you know how many of the boys at our school are rich? I just need to find the right one to ask on a date.”   
“Yeah, well, good luck with that.” Catherine reaches up and turns out the nightlight. “I’m gonna get some sleep. Goodnight Linda.”   
“Goodnight Catherine.”


	2. Chapter 2

Gerald Monroe is almost everything that Linda hates in a man. Tall and gangly and doesn't quite speak right, and with that awful local accent that she hates, and he's ginger, but most importantly, he has a lot of money, so she's willing to ignore everything else and act pleasant on a date with him.

And she supposes it's fine, because he asks her on a second date. They go to a cafe and have coffee, which he pays for, and then they go for a stroll through town.

"Oh, come here a second," Linda says as they walk past her favourite jeweller. "I wanna show you something."

"Alright." Gerald smiles and follows her into the building. "What is it?"

"This." Linda confidently walks over to a display of engagement rings and points at a specific one. "The ring in A7, that's the one I want when I get engaged. I've known since I was 13."

"It's beautiful," Gerald says, looking at it. Then he takes a piece of paper and a pen out of his pocket and scrawls something down. "There we go. Now I'll remember."

Linda sends him a brilliant smile, the kind she knows makes boys weak in the knees. "Oh thank you Gerald!" She kisses his cheek and smiles. "That was all, I just wanted to show you since we walked past."

"I'm happy you did." Gerald takes her hand as they walk out of the shop again. "You know, I was thinking, I know this is only our second date, but would you like to be my girlfriend?"

"Yes." They're outside the store now, and Linda gets on her toes to kiss him on the lips; their first kiss. "Yes, of course."

Gerald smiles, giddy and shining. "Wonderful. I was hoping you'd say yes."

Linda just smiles and keeps walking, still holding his hand. She's not particularly fond of Gerald, but he is exactly the kind of boy she plans to marry one day, and if he's already now thinking that he might get her the engagement ring she's chosen, then he's a good enough choice for her.

Later, when she tells Catherine the story, she makes sure to emphasise how pleasantly surprised she was that he wrote down the serial number for the ring, and play down how little she likes him, but Catherine notices anyway and calls her out. It's fine, Linda decides, because she's right, and anyway, Catherine knows what Linda is planning.

She keeps dating Gerald, because he is perfect, and she knows that she needs perfect. She needs someone who calls her parents  _ sir  _ and  _ ma'am _ and who reveres the very ground she steps on.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Linda has no right to be this cute

October 2003 marks Linda's 18th birthday. She's still with Gerald, her boyfriend of almost two years now, because he's still perfect.

He's over at her house for dinner, with her parents and her cousin Henry, and Catherine. He's being perfectly pleasant, asking Henry about his work at the community college, asking her parents about their jobs, and Linda is almost bored to tears listening to him, but she smiles anyway, holding his hand under the table.

"Now, Linda," Gerald says as dessert finishes. "You may have noticed that none of the presents on the table are from me. That is because I have a very special present for you." He takes something out of his pocket. He kneels down and holds it out; a ring box, open now, with her engagement ring in it. "Linda Hidgens, will you make me the happiest man on Earth and marry me?"

Linda claps and stands up. "Yes!" she squeals, taking the ring from the box and putting it on; a perfect fit. "Yes, of course!" She wraps both arms around Gerald and kisses him the moment he stands up.

Around them, Henry, Catherine, and her parents are clapping and aww-ing politely. "Congratulations," her father says, standing up. "To both of you. You're a good man, Gerald, and I know you'll take care of my Linda."

"Thank you sir." Gerald nods slightly.

"Please." Her father smiles. "You can call me John."

"Look Catherine!" Linda has gotten tired of not being the centre of attention and shows off the ring on her left hand. "Look at this, isn't it beautiful?"

"Very." Catherine gets up to hug her. "Congratulations. I know you two will be very happy."

"I know." Linda smiles up at Gerald, taking his hand. "We will have the best life of anyone in all of Hatchetfield."

"I agree." Gerald kisses her. "Thank you, John, Mrs. Hidgens, for letting me marry your daughter."

"Oh please, my name is Beth, you're my son-in-law, no reason for formalities." Linda's mother gets up to give both of them a hug. "Congratulations."

"My congratulations, cousin!" Henry has somehow stood up without Linda noticing, and is now standing at her shoulder. "You two make a wonderful pair!"

"Thank you Henry." Linda gives him a hug. "Thank you everyone. Oh, Mother?"

"Yes Linda?"

"Can Gerald sleep here tonight? I know your rules, but I'm 18 now, and he's my fiancé." Linda can't help but gloat over the word, glancing back at Catherine.

"Oh well, just this once," her father says.

"Thank you, Father!" Linda lets go of Gerald to give him a hug. "Oh this is the best birthday ever!"

It's not like it's the first time she and Gerald has sex, that night, but it is the first time they've managed to actually sleep together afterwards, and while Linda isn't in love with him, she kind of does enjoy it, if nothing else then because it's nicer than having to get dressed immediately.


	4. Chapter 4

She wants an August wedding, and she wants it at the Lakeside pavilion, so it's 2005 before they get married. Linda is fine with that; Gerald finds them a house to share, and living with her rich fiancé is different from living with her rich husband in exactly one way, which is that she's on birth control. Linda Hidgens will not get pregnant; that will be Linda Monroe's job.

To say that Linda's wedding vows are generic would be putting it mildly, but it doesn't matter. She does mention the engagement ring from their second date and how she knew, when Gerald wrote it down, that she would be okay if he was the one to buy it for her, so it's fine.

Then it's Gerald's turn. He calls her  _ Linda Love  _ and talks about way too many specifics. He gets to the end eventually, they say their  _ I do _ 's and Linda Monroe goes to host a wedding reception with her husband.

Catherine pulls her aside halfway through the reception. "I can't believe you're going through with this."

"Why not?" Linda laughs. "Come now, Catherine, we've been engaged for almost two years, it can hardly surprise you that we're getting married."

"You don't love him," Catherine says. "He deserves better, and so do you."

"Oh he loves me plenty for both of us." Linda waves her hand. "He's perfect. This is perfect. The happiest day of my life, just as it's supposed to be." Linda smiles at Gerald across the room. "You're just jealous."

Catherine shakes her head and walks away, and Linda dismisses her and goes to talk to her cousin instead.

Once the dance floor opens, she has a dance with Gerald. He's an excellent dancer, which surprised her at their senior prom when she realised, but now she's prepared. "What a wonderful day," she says, idly scanning the crowds for someone she can dance with later. "I'm so happy, Gerald."

"Me too." He smiles. "You, Linda Love, are the single best thing that could ever happen to me."

Linda has to stop herself from rolling her eyes. "Naturally." She flashes a smile instead. "As are you."

Gerald smiles and comes to a stop with the music, kissing her. He's so laughably naïve that he's willing to believe anything Linda tells him, she barely even has to try to be convincing.

Linda dances with her father, and then her cousin, and then Gerald's father, and then her uncle, and then pretty much every man at the wedding. She ignores Catherine trying to talk to her, and gets far more drunk than she planned.

That night, as Gerald carries her to bed, is the first time in nearly five years she doesn't take her pill.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Linda lives a wild life y'all


	5. Chapter 5

Not three months after the wedding, Linda takes a pregnancy test that shows positive. She's quite pleased with herself; Gerald is still playing the part of besotted spouse, and when he comes home that evening, she sits him down for dinner. "I have news," she says.

"Oh?" He smiles at her.

"I'm pregnant!" She claps her hands a few times. "Now Gerald, I know it's a ways off, but we must start planning for the baby immediately."

"Of course." He smiles. "You've already named them, I guess?"

"Naturally. Johanna for a girl and Gerald Jr. for a boy." She takes his hand. "We're having a baby!" Just according to plan, she thinks, but doesn't say it. "Just like we wanted," she says instead.

Gerald smiles and kisses her, and God, she's already sick of him. She likes his adoration, but she could do without the idiocy.

It's fine. The next several months are busy with baby preparation; furnishing a nursery in the house, buying or being gifted everything they need. And then it's finally April and Linda gives birth to a beautiful blond boy named Gerald Jr. He's perfect.

Gerald cries the first time he holds his son, and Linda would be annoyed, but she isn't. She's exhausted from giving birth, but she's also just okay, for once. Okay with Gerald, and more than okay with his son, with  _ her _ son. She loves him; it's the first time in her life Linda has felt anything stronger than mild amusement for another person.

She makes an excellent mother. Yes, this is partly aided by her not having anything else to take up her time, but she is. She hardly ever puts her son down, save for when he has to sleep; other than that, he lives in her arms. She lets her life revolve entirely about this baby.

It works well to make Gerald leave her alone, too, but she tells herself it's just a bonus and not why she does it. She does it because Gerald Jr. smiles up at her whenever she looks down at him in her arms, and that's all she's ever wanted. Her life is going exactly as she planned; loving her husband was never part of the plan. Neither was loving her children, but it's fine, because that's what you're supposed to do as a mother, and she's a fabulous mother. The best mother, in fact, she thinks when she buys another meaningless toy for her son.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes I wonder what this story even is

Linda’s 21st birthday rolls around six months after her son is born. It’s the first time she takes time for herself; she and Gerald find a nanny to take Gerald Jr. for a few hours, and they go out for dinner together, which they hadn’t even done for their anniversary, because Gerald Jr. was still too little, in Linda’s opinion.

“You know,” Gerald says over his second glass of wine. “I sometimes wonder if staying home so much is good for you. I’m so busy with school, and Gerald Jr. is just a baby… Maybe making the nanny take him more often isn’t a bad idea.”   
Linda glares at him. “I am perfectly capable of taking care of my own son, Gerald.”   
“I know, that’s not what I meant, Linda Love.” He reaches out and takes her hand. “But you hardly ever see your friends anymore.”   
“No Gerald.” Linda glares at him for a few more seconds, then smiles. “You could be right.” She doesn’t think he is, but she needs his love, and she can compromise. “Henry’s birthday is next month, he’s sent me an invitation. Perhaps I’ll go.”

“That’s what I mean.” Gerald smiles at her. “I love you.”   
“Yes, I love you too.” Linda has suddenly gotten impatient. “Now, I want dessert.”

They order dessert and eat it and don’t talk about Linda’s social life any more that night. They walk past CinnaBon on the way home, and Gerald wants to go in, but Linda stops him, rather sharply, too.

As she goes to make sure the nanny has kept up with Gerald Jr.’s bedtime routine, she thinks about what Gerald said. He’s not entirely wrong, necessarily. She hasn’t gone out much since giving birth, and she’s getting so  _ bored _ . Being a mother is what she was planning to do, but she hadn’t quite thought about how much  _ work _ it would be, not to mention, it’s so  _ messy _ .

She calls Henry in the morning and says she’d love to attend his birthday dinner the following month, and no, she won’t be bringing Gerald or their son, thank you for asking.

Linda Monroe is a mother, but she’s also a young woman, and that should matter too, she decides. She’s also a wife, but that doesn’t quite concern her as much. No, she’s a young woman who can go to her cousin’s house for a dinner party alone and have that not mean anything to anyone.


	7. Chapter 7

Henry has a strange assortment of friends, and his friends have a strange assortment of +1’s, Linda realises. Most of them are much older than her, which makes sense because so is Henry, but there are several people her age too, and even a few teenagers. It surprises her; none of them seem to arrive with parents or older siblings, and all of them greet Henry as a friend.

She’s seated next to a young man, a few years older than herself. “Hi.” He smiles at her. “I’m Sam.”   
“Linda Monroe,” she says, shaking his hand. “Charmed, I’m sure.”   
“Indeed.” His smile doesn’t drop. “I wasn’t aware that Henry had anything to do with the Monroes.”   
Linda rolls her eyes. “Oh, he doesn’t. I’m afraid my maiden name is Hidgens. Cousins.”

“Aha. And where’s Mr. Monroe, then?” It occurs to Linda that Sam is flirting with her, and rather clumsily. “Didn’t want to associate?”   
“Oh no, he’s busy.” She smiles; she doesn’t mind the flirting, in fact, she likes it. “Medical school is so demanding, it seems, he’s hardly ever home.”

“Is that so?” Sam moves his chair a fraction of an inch closer. “I do hope you have something to occupy yourself.”   
“Well, there’s the baby.” Linda laughs. “But he’s with his nanny tonight, and I suppose he could be more often, if I wanted to. I do get bored at times.”   
“Well, I’ll make sure you’re not bored tonight.” Sam winks, and God it’s so clumsy, but she appreciates it. “I have the weekend off.”   
“Oh, what do you do?”   
“I’m with the police. Well, still in the academy in Clyvesdale, but I intern here.” He shrugs. “How about you?”   
“I’m a mother.” Linda smiles.

She talks almost exclusively to Sam for the rest of the evening, and she’s not stupid. He’s still flirting. So when he offers her a ride home, she knows that the correct answer is no. She says yes.   
“You know,” she says once the car doors have closed. She puts a hand on Sam’s thigh as he pulls away from Henry’s house. “I don’t think I’m quite ready to go home yet. Can I come with you?”   
“Of course.” Sam smiles at her. “I was hoping you’d ask.”

Linda almost rolls her eyes, but doesn’t. She keeps a hand on his thigh for the entire drive back to his apartment. As soon as they’re inside, Sam pushes her against a wall to kiss her, and it’s the best Linda has felt in years, so she’s quick to wrap her legs around his waist.

It’s not just that the sex is good, even though it is. It’s the way Sam says her name, the reverent tones she’s used to from Gerald, but which are new and exciting and delightful coming from Sam.

She takes a taxi home as soon as they’re done, but she holds the memory in the back of her brain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Listen, I also question my choices


	8. Chapter 8

That January, it occurs to Linda that she’s pregnant again. She does the math; it’s not Gerald’s, can’t be. It would have to be Sam’s, then; she hadn’t been nearly careful enough.

It doesn’t matter. Gerald is delighted about the second child, so he hasn’t done the math, so Linda can put his name on the birth certificate. She hopes and prays that this second child is blond as well.

She gets her wish. Little Jonathan is born in July, blond like his brother, and when his eyes darken, they match the dark eyes shared by herself and Gerald Jr. Gerald laments that none of their children share his green eyes and carrot-ginger hair, but Linda reminds him that they will have more children. At least she hopes they will. She’s getting tired of Gerald, but she has a plan, and the plan involves four children. She looks at the baby in her arms and wishes that it had been twins.

Shortly after Jonathan is born, she receives a wedding invitation. Sam is getting married to some woman named Charlotte, and Linda feels momentarily sorry for her, because they must have at least been together, if not engaged, when she slept with Sam. Then it occurs to her that she’s never extended the same pity to her own husband and dismisses it.

She attends the wedding with Jonathan in her arms, four months old, but the most perfectly quiet baby. She considers telling Sam that it’s his son — not because she wants anything out of it, but because she wants to see how he’d react. Then she decides against it because she doesn’t want to cause a scene, or risk him demanding to see her son.

She goes up to Sam and his new wife. “Hello.”   
“Oh, Linda, so happy you could come.” Sam gives her a hug. “And who’s this?” He looks at the baby in her arms.

“This is Jonathan. He’s too small for me to leave with the nanny, Gerald Jr. is fine with her, but I wanted to bring Jonathan.” She smiles and looks at Sam’s wife. “Ah, you must be…”   
“Charlotte.” She smiles.

“Ah, of course.” Linda sugarcoats her fake smile further. “Charlotte forgive me. Oh, actually, I got a little extra thing for you, just… Every wife should have one of these.” She takes a small, gift-wrapped box out of her purse and hands to Charlotte.

“Oh.” Charlotte smiles. “Thank you. You shouldn’t have.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Linda turns to Sam again. “Thank you for the invitation, but with Jonathan, I should really head home soon, so I just wanted to say goodbye. It was a lovely ceremony.”   
“Thank you.” Sam gives her another hug. “And thank you for coming.”   
“Of course.” Linda shakes his wife’s hand and leaves.

She decides that that’s the last time she accepts an invitation from Sam.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I..... Feel sorry for her

Linda keeps to her promise of never accepting an invitation from Sam, but she accepts many other invitations. Her high school best friend Catherine returns to town, and they start seeing each other. She did go to Harvard, but she didn’t study entertainment law, and she didn’t move to Los Angeles. Linda is hardly surprised. Catherine has never had half her resolve.

Nonetheless, she invites her out for coffee one day. “How’s your life plan going, then?” Catherine asks when she’s had enough of Linda’s thinly veiled derision.

“It is going perfectly.” Linda smiles. “Gerald and I are married, almost three years now, and we have two beautiful, blond boys. Gerald is in med school, and meanwhile, his parents have us living comfortably. Exactly according to plan.”

Catherine shakes her head. “I still think it’s ridiculous, Linda, you’re 22. You could do so much with your life, still.”   
“This is what I want to do with my life, Catherine. I don’t want to talk about it.”

Catherine allows her to change the subject after that.

Catherine isn’t the only one Linda accepts invitations from. After Sam she’s realised that there is nothing better than a man who is not her husband trying to sleep with her. Or well, there is; letting him sleep with her. She never takes her wedding ring off, she mentions both husband and kids, but she makes no secret of her intentions. At parties Gerald is not invited to, at bars late at night, leaving Gerald Jr. and Jonathan with their nanny. She doesn’t feel bad about it, it’s something she needs to be happy, but she is more careful than she used to be. There are always condoms in her wallet these days, even though she finds it vulgar, but she cannot risk another Sam, another child. Especially not since Gerald is hardly ever home to have sex with her to cover it up.

She doesn’t hate Gerald, and she loves her children, but she’s bored. Three years of just staying with them while Gerald is in med school and she can’t have another child for that same reason, which means her plans are temporarily on hold. She wishes for another child, and keeps seeing other men. Sometimes she sits down with Gerald Jr. and Jonathan, and she loves them, she does, but they don’t seem to love her. They smile at her and say please and thank you and do stuff with her, but other than calling her  _ mommy _ , they don’t treat her any differently than they do the nanny, and Linda wants them to. She’s their mother, for Christ’s sake, she’s allowed to want to be special to them, to be loved. It’s a perfectly reasonable request; any mother in her position would want the same, she tells herself, while wishing for another child, hoping she can get it right this time.


	10. Chapter 10

It’s a month after Gerald Jr.’s sixth birthday when Linda finds out she’s pregnant again; Gerald’s this time, she’s sure, the math adds up and she’s been careful. She doesn’t tell Gerald; his graduation is a month away, and she doesn’t want that to overshadow their third child. But it’s the first time in years she’s felt excited for something, and she knows Gerald notices her being happier. She tells him it’s just because she’s excited for him to have his own clinic soon, and while it’s technically true, it’s not why she’s happy.

She stops seeing other men. She doesn’t know if it’s just while she’s pregnant or for good, but she tries; she wants to be a good mother, she  _ is _ a good mother.

Gerald’s graduation bores her to tears, but everything involving Gerald does. She sits there and smiles and claps politely at the right times, and she lets him introduce her to all his boring med school friends, immediately forgetting every single name.

Two days after the graduation, she sits him down after putting the boys to bed. “Gerald, I have some wonderful news.”   
“What is up, Linda Love?” He smiles at her, the same adoring smile that she used to relish, but now just makes her feel normal.   
“I’m pregnant.” She smiles back. “I’ve known for a while, but I didn’t want to stress you before your graduation.”

“Oh, that is wonderful.” He gives her a hug and a kiss. “Another boy, do you think?”   
“I don’t know, Gerald, I haven’t had a scan yet. And it’s not important anyway, you know.”   
“I suppose not.” He’s still smiling, that same dumb, besotted smile he always turns on her. “I’m happy, I know you wanted more children.”   
“I still do, Gerald, just because one is on the way doesn’t mean I’ve stopped wanting more.” She gets up from the couch. “Four children, I’ve told you this many times. I’m going to bed, Gerald, goodnight.”   
“Goodnight, Linda Love. I’ll be there in a second.”   
Linda heads to bed, a hand on her still-mostly-flat stomach. When Gerald comes in some hours later, she’s still awake, but she pretends to be asleep.

He pulls the covers up around her — he knows she hates being warm when she sleeps, there’s a reason she has the covers down, heavens Gerald, she thinks to herself — and kisses her temple. “Another child,” he whispers. “I’m so happy for us, Linda Love. Goodnight.” He lays down next to her and falls asleep almost immediately, an ability she envies.

She stays awake for a while, thinking. Gerald wants the child. Gerald wants her, he loves her, still reveres the very ground she walks on, after almost seven years of marriage. And maybe, she thinks, maybe it’s not too bad to just stay in Hatchetfield. She’s not happy, true, but she’s not unhappy either, and the children are old enough to claim their inheritance far sooner than she’d like, and she doesn’t even have the fourth child yet.

No, she’ll stick to the plan and see what happens. She has to.


	11. Chapter 11

Linda spends that Christmas in the hospital, because of course her third son has to be born on Christmas. Gerald tries to suggest naming him Chris or something seasonal like that, but Linda refuses; his name is Michael. “It’s biblical, it has to be good enough,” she snaps when Gerald tries to insist, and she gets her way, because she always does.

After Michael is born, Linda decides to stay home as a proper mother for all her boys again. Not because she’s just tired, she tells herself, although she is. She’s almost forgotten how much work an infant is, but she refuses to put in less work with Michael than she has with Gerald Jr. and Jonathan. No nannies until six months, she’s said with the others, and she sticks to it. She wants to be a mother again.

Gerald refers to Michael as their  _ Christmas baby _ , and Linda rolls her eyes at him every time, but he just sends her a fond smile and gives her a kiss, so it doesn’t help. He really is so damn naïve, he’d believe anything, including that she loves him. Which is good, she reminds herself; they’re married, and she’s supposed to love him, it’s just that she doesn’t.

Seven months after Michael is born, she starts going to the boating society. Not that she sails, but it’s where Gerald’s childhood friends’ wives go to socialise, so she goes too.

One of the women there, Laura Thompson, invites Linda for coffee one day. “You always seem so lonely,” she says when Linda thanks her. “I thought it might be nice for you to have friends.”   
“I have friends,” Linda replies icily. “Gerald is busy with the clinic, so I’m busy with the kids. Michael is only eight months old now, so I still need to be around most of the time. There’s the nanny, of course, but I don’t like to rely too much on her with the babies.”

“Of course.” Laura smiles. “You know, I admire you Linda, I really do. With a husband who’s out so much, you still manage to have three kids and go out for coffee with a friend, and you seem happy. It’s incredible.”   
“Thank you.” Linda smiles. “You know, we do what we have to. I love to give back to the community, so I thought, working with the society might be a good place to start, help out with charity drives and such.” It’s not at all why she started going, but Linda likes being admired, and no one can blame her for fuelling the fire. Certainly not if they don’t know.

Laura nods and keeps talking about what the society does, and Linda basks in her admiration and is reminded, oddly, of why she’d married Gerald.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact: Laura is the name I consistently give Bill's (ex)wife, and I do believe I've used Thompson as Bill's last name. Am I saying this is Bill's wife? No, because it wasn't entirely intentional, but I'm also not saying it's not


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You kinda gotta feel sorry for her

Which is why, before Michael’s first birthday, Linda has cheated on her husband again. A man at a boating society function attempts to flirt with her, and he’s married too. The difference is that his wife is there, and Linda likes that he gives her more attention than he does his wife. So when he asks her to come outside to keep him company while he has a cigarette, she says yes, but she doesn’t let him light the cigarette. “Where’s your car?” she asks, holding his hand so that he can’t take out his cigarettes.

“What?” He looks at her, confused.

“Your car.” Linda scoffs. “Ugh, why must all men be this dumb? I suppose you had a purpose in asking me out here, no?” She slides an arm around him, under his jacket. “Or have I misread the situation?”

A light goes on his eyes. “Oh. No, you’re right, come.” He walks towards a car parked on the far end of the lot, in the shadows. Linda appreciates that; less chance of being seen. “Here we are.” He unlocks the car.

“Good.” Linda gets in the backseat and gestures for him to follow. To her relief, he doesn’t question her after that, just whispers compliments while they have sex. And sure, the backseat of a car is not Linda’s favourite place to do this, but his wife is inside and her husband is at home, so she’s also not about to suggest anywhere else, and the way this man kisses her like she’s air and he’s drowning is something she’s missed for months.

She keeps cheating after that, and she keeps being careful. Because Gerald is almost never home, so they almost never have sex, so she cannot risk getting pregnant with anyone else. She wants to, more than anything; have that fourth child, so that she can leave. Gerald Jr. and Jonathan are both in school, and Michael is old enough to be left alone with the nanny, so she has very little keeping her home; the kids seem to love the nanny more than her, and Linda tries, she really does, but nothing she does seems to work. You cannot buy a child’s love, she’s learned, and she wishes you could, because she wants her children to love her.

She becomes the secretary of the boating society, and then the president. It suits her quite well, the other members admire her for her work, but she’s still missing something. Men who are not Gerald help, but not enough. The admiration from her fellow members of the boating society helps, but not enough. She wants a fourth child, and she wants it soon, but Michael is almost three, and she still hasn’t had it.


	13. Chapter 13

It’s Linda’s 30th birthday, and Gerald has a night shift. So she hires a nanny and goes out on her own.

A young man approaches her. Okay, maybe he’s not that young, but she’s 30 and slightly drunk, and he’s a good five years younger than her at least. He sits down across from her. “That drink’s almost empty, would you care for a refill?”

“Is that an offer?” She raises an eyebrow at him.

“Yes.” He flashes a grin. “Name’s Ted, by the way.”   
“Linda Monroe, president of the Hatchetfield Boating Society,” she says, almost automatically, and reaches out her hand.

He kisses her hand. “Pleasure. What are you drinking?”

“Cosmopolitan.”

“Nice choice.” He flashes another grin and gets up. “I’ll be right back.”   
He returns some moments later with two glasses. “Thank you,” Linda says when he slides one over.

“No problem. Nice drink choice, by the way, I love a good cosmo.” He takes a sip. “Although this isn’t the nicest place to get them.” Linda shrugs, so he keeps talking. “Well, Ms. Monroe, what brings you here on this fine night?”   
“Mrs.,” Linda corrects automatically.

“Mrs. Monroe.” Ted’s grin widens a little. “Question still stands.”   
“It’s my birthday,” she says, stirring her drink. “And you?”

“Looking for a pretty woman to take home.” He downs his own drink. “Am I gonna have any luck?”   
Linda downs her own drink. “Yes,” she replies. “Let’s go.”

They walk to Ted’s apartment, only two blocks away. Linda doesn’t waste time talking once they get inside, just kisses him, and Ted carries her to the bedroom, which she appreciates.

She’s left her wallet in her coat, which is in the hall, so she asks if Ted has condoms. He doesn’t, and she should really leave, but he’s flattering and charming, and this was what she came here for. And he shrugs and says he doesn’t mind, and honestly, neither does she. She’s been praying for that fourth child for years now, and Gerald doesn’t deliver. So she says it doesn’t matter and has sex with him anyway.

She waits for him to fall asleep after they’re done. Then she gets up, gets dressed, and gets a taxi home. Gerald won’t be home for another few hours, but she decides to set an alarm half an hour before he comes home.

She greets him in the living room. “Oh hello, Linda Love.” He smiles. “Why aren’t you asleep?”   
“I waited up for you.” She kisses him. “I miss you, we haven’t had a moment to ourselves in so long.” She takes his hand and pulls him towards the bedroom. “I know you’re tired, but…”   
“It’s alright.” He kisses her. “I miss you too.”

And yes, she mostly has sex with Gerald because, should she happen to get pregnant, she needs the math to add up, she needs to be able to prove that it’s his. Or maybe she just needs to believe it herself, although it’s never bothered her that Jonathan isn’t.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> He is here


	14. Chapter 14

Linda realises that she’s pregnant again shortly before Christmas and tells Gerald immediately. Fourth child. Just like she planned, although much later than she’d planned; Gerald Jr. is nine, which is far older than she’d wanted, but it doesn’t matter. She’s never been a quitter, and she isn’t about to start now. So she keeps the child.

She does ask a nurse, at an appointment that Gerald doesn’t come to, if it’s possible to have a paternity test without her husband knowing. “If you ask the other guy, sure.” The nurse shrugs. “Otherwise no, we’d need a DNA sample from at least one potential father, and we cannot take those without their consent.”   
“Oh well, no worries then.” Linda shrugs it off. “It’s not important.”

“I’m sure it isn’t.” The nurse raises an eyebrow, but doesn’t mention it further.

She also stays quiet about it the next time Linda is there, Gerald and the boys in tow this time, just asks if she wants to know the sex of the baby. She doesn’t. Gerald tries to ask, but Linda interrupts him and keeps the nurse from telling them. “It’s a boy,” she says when they get to the car. “Of course it’s a boy, Gerald, it’s always a boy.”

“Well, it might have been different this time,” he says. “But I shouldn’t have asked, I know you don’t want to know.”   
“Exactly Gerald.” She looks out the window as he pulls up in front of Lakeside Mall. “What are we doing here?”   
“They’ve moved the CinnaBon to the mall.” Gerald smiles a little. “I just want to see it, I just want to smell them.”   
“I don’t believe that,” Linda replies. “Take us home, Gerald, you’re not to step within a thousand feet of a CinnaBon, I’ve told you this many times.”   
“Of course, Linda Love.” Gerald starts the car and drives home.

When River is born, Linda has gotten almost everything she wants in life, and he’s as blond as the other boys, but then his eyes darken, not to Gerald and Michael’s green, nor to her own brown, but to hazel. A hazel that she recognises from the young man who had taken her home on her 30th birthday. Gerald doesn’t notice, or doesn’t care, and that’s almost worse.

He’ll be gone soon, Linda reminds herself, and then she doesn’t have to worry about anyone finding out. She just needs to plan.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nearly forgot to post today, oops, been travelling, but here it is

Linda goes back on birth control as soon as River is born. Four children; no more. Just according to plan.

The next part of her plan happens slower. She plans, but Gerald is a boring man in every sense of the word, and she needs it to be an accident. It’s harder than she expected at 14, and she’s been dismissing the thought since then, because really, while it doesn’t scare her, there is something inherently  _ messy _ about murder, and Linda doesn’t like mess. But now it’s time, and she needs to make a plan.

The time slips away. She’s still seeing other men, and now that she’s on the pill, she’s a lot less careful about it. It isn’t fair to Gerald, she supposes, but she doesn’t really care.

One man she sees does. He buys her two drinks before noticing the ring. “Hey, that’s a wedding ring, innit?”   
“Yes, it is.” Linda smiles at him. “Why do you ask?”   
“You’ve been leading me on!” He stands up. “Bitch.”   
“I have not.” Linda keeps her sweet smile. “If the wedding ring bothers you, you can leave.  _ I _ don’t care that I’m married, so why should you?”

“Because…” He sputters a little, then spits. “Because you’re married!” He storms out without another word.

Linda shrugs. “Well.” She goes home alone that night.

She still doesn’t have a solid plan of how to get rid of Gerald, and the more she thinks about it, the less appealing it seems. It’s not that she loves him, but she does love her children, and they deserve a father, even if Gerald isn’t an ideal father. And murder is so  _ messy _ , and Gerald Jr. turns eleven and then twelve, and she won’t get much inheritance that way. So she decides to stay; living off of his money isn’t half bad, and the boating society presidency isn’t going to take care of itself. And Hatchetfield isn’t the Caribbean, but it does have quite a few people that revere her, admire her, love her. Linda just wants love.

By the time River turns three, Linda has decided to stay. Well, stay as much as possible; she still goes out most nights, because Gerald isn’t home, and she doesn’t come home much either. She doesn’t like sleeping with the same person twice. They never seem to revere her quite so much the second time, and it gets messier, and she hates mess.

That being said, she has far more sex in cars and bathrooms than in beds.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's canon time baby

Linda hates Black Friday, but she needs this doll for her children. She learned long ago that buying their love is difficult, but Gerald Jr. is 13 now, and it’s not impossible. And if this Wiggly or whatever is what it takes, she’ll do it.

Being rich has its perks, she thinks, as she buys a spot in line, effortlessly dismissing Becky Barnes’ taunts. She and Becky have hated each other for decades, and while Linda has never spent much time thinking about her, she’s spent enough to know what to say to shut her up. It works well enough.

It’s not that Linda is itching to climb over the counter to get to the dolls, but she needs the doll, needs it more than anything, more than life. She needs four of them. Four dolls for her four beautiful, blond boys.

She sees Wiggly and everything changes. Yes, she still wants the dolls for her children, she still wants their love, their  _ adoration _ , but she wants Wiggly, too. He could give her everything she ever wanted; the love she had been missing from her human children, the adoration of the community. All she needs to do is get him there.

She burns the CinnaBon. Yes, it’s to prove her devotion to Wiggly, but it’s just as much because Gerald would want to come into it, and she doesn’t want that. When he calls and asks her to come inside, she tells him, and he decides to stay. “Oh, so now you’d rather stay in the car.” She almost wishes he’d come in, just so he could see what she’s become. Not quite a god, but a prophet. Adored.

Even though the morons take the doll from her, she gets it back. Because of course she does. She’s Linda Monroe, she always gets what she wants.

She turns to see Becky Barnes standing up on the overhang, aiming a gun at her, and she laughs. “Becky Barnes! You pathetic worm! You think you can stop the birth of a god?” She laughs some more; it’s pathetic, really. “You couldn’t even stand up to your disgusting husband. Look at you. You’re paralysed with fear.”

“No.” Linda has already dismissed Becky, so she doesn’t quite catch the word. “Just lining up my shot.”

Linda hears a loud noise.


End file.
